The Government's counter-radicalisation strategy in the wake of the ISIS threat now includes madrasas across the country where young, impressionable minds are given an Islamic education.

After getting intelligence inputs on the possible radicalisation of young people in some madrasas, the Ministry of Home Affairs, in consultation with the Ministry of Minority Affairs, has come out with a counter-radicalisation strategy that will focus on starting skill development programmes in these religious schools.

Sources said the idea is to ensure that youths studying in these religious centres get job-oriented training that will help them find suitable employment.

Intelligence officials who are tracking the ISIS threat don’t see a direct lure for the terror outfit in madrasas, but some of them are receiving foreign funding from Islamic countries, which could be a breeding ground for extremism

“Mostly people from poor background attend madrasas. It is necessary to ensure they acquire skills that help them get jobs,” said a Government official.

Even though madrasas that cater to the economically-backward sections have not been lured by the ideology of Islamic State or ISIS till now, the MHA has come out with a detailed policy focusing on counter-radicalisation across sections of the Muslim community.

The multi-pronged strategy involves several ministries and state governments.

Intelligence officials tracking the ISIS threat don’t see any connection between ISIS and madrasas, but some of them receive foreign funding from Islamic countries. And officials feel that ISIS may try to establish a link through the funding route.

In its initial phase, the Centre is all set to initiate skill development for nearly 5,000 students in some of the madrasas.

ISIS has used cyberspace to indoctrinate youths and those in madrasas don’t have access to computers. The youths attracted to ISIS ideology are generally from well-to-do backgrounds.

Four for start

The four madrasas that will carry out projects for skill training for 1,200 students each are: Hussaini Masjid Darul Madrasa in Mumbai, Idara-e-Sharia Khajur Banna in Patna, Anjuman Islamia Madrasa, Motihari, Bihar, and Islamia Anjuman Rafagul Muslamin, East Champaran, Bihar.

Sources say this is the next phase of the counter-radicalisation strategy to take on the threat from ISIS.

To begin with, the Government ensured that youths inspired by ISIS were not sent to jail. Instead, they were made to sit through counseling sessions. With the help of their families, efforts were made to bring them back to the mainstream.

Only those who were seen to have crossed a certain threshold and committed a terror offence were taken into custody.

The project will be carried out under the Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS) set up by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in November, 2014 to address the skill development needs of minority communities with an emphasis on self-employment.

According to findings of a secret report prepared by intelligence agencies and submitted to MHA: “Madrasas with Indian teachers are not nurseries of jihad but those with staff from other countries imparting religious teachings to young Muslims are a potential hunting ground for jihadi groups who could indoctrinate young minds. There is no hate propaganda if the teachers are Indian Muslims.”

Sources say in many of these madrasas there are teachers from Bangladesh and other Islamic countries who need to be put under scrutiny.

A detailed assessment also indicated that most of the madrasas focused only religious studies and do not impart job-oriented education.

The report suggests that the majority of madrasas are not involved in jihadi activities, but in states like West Bengal and Assam there could be elements involved in anti-India activity.

The report submitted to the Home Ministry also sheds light on the condition and quality of education in these madrasas. While the ones run by Indian groups are not a security threat, they resist any other kind of education leading to unemployment. These madrasas are mushrooming in Muslim-dominated areas where there are no good schools and mostly the poor send their children there.

“These madrasas are mostly free for students who are not just given Islamic education but also provided free lodging and food, besides some money to buy clothes if they are extremely poor. There is a need to encourage these madrasas to incorporate elements of modern curriculum to help their students in terms of employment prospects and life skills,” the report said.

Sources said there is no official figure on the total number of madrasas in the country. However, unofficial estimates say there are around 35,000 madrasas with an enrolment of about 15 lakh students.